Kinnear murder case postponed as Bishop Lavis court ’not safe enough’ for accused

Cape Town – Bishop Lavis Magistrate’s Court was not safe enough to hear the bail application of the Charl Kinnear murder suspect, the prosecution said on Monday.

Fears for the safety of Zane Killian, the man accused of tracking the cellphone of assassinated top cop Kinnear, was the reason his case was postponed to Friday.

The National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Western Cape spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, said Killian’s bail application would probably be heard in another court for security reasons.

Ntabazalila said before the formal proceedings started, a discussion was held in the chambers of the presiding officer and the issue of security around the court precinct was raised.

"It was agreed by all the parties that the bail application must be transferred to another court. A new court will be sourced between today and Friday," Ntabazalila said.

He said the new venue would probably be announced at the next appearance on Friday (October 9). The accused will remain in custody.

Members of the media wait inside Bishop Lavis Magistrate’s Court ahead of the second appearance of Zane Killian, who is charged with the murder of top cop Charl Kinnear. Picture: Henk Kruger/African News Agency

Killian, who is from Springs, owns a tracking and investigation company. The former rugby player was arrested in Gauteng on Wednesday, September 23. The prospect of more arrests has not been ruled out by the Hawks.

Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi told the Daily Voice that three more people had been taken in for questioning, but none of them had been charged.

“At this stage, Killian is charged with murder and no further arrests have been made,” he said.

“The shooter has not yet been arrested, but we note the leaking of the CCTV footage and once again warn people to be careful of compromising the investigation.”

The accused in Western Cape top cop Lieutenant-Colonel Charl Kinnear’s murder is whisked away in a Nyala which was heavily guarded behind the gate of the courthouse. Picture: Henk Kruger/African News Agency (ANA)

The man arrested after the assassination of Western Cape top cop Lieutenant-Colonel Charl Kinnear made his second appearance in court on Monday morning. The case was postponed to Friday. Picture: Henk Kruger/African News Agency (ANA)

Kinnear, whose funeral was on Saturday, was shot and killed outside his home three weeks ago. It is alleged to have been a hit. Killian was believed to have traced Kinnear through his phone.

Kinnear was central to several probes in the underworld and was investigating alleged underworld figures Nafiz Modack and Colin Booysen.

He was also working on the murder cases of biker boss Tim Lotter and Cape Town advocate Pete Mihalik.